◾ ...but some of us are looking at the stars

◾ 2008-08-16

2008-08-16

This post was going to be about my plans for becoming a political revolutionary and why. But I haven't properly sorted it out in my head yet. I also haven't decided if I can be completely serious and committed to agenda - which I haven't really sorted out yet either. More of a pressure group, not on the government directly at first, but on the general population. I'm tired and frustrated with the exceedingly apathetic and ill-informed nature of the vast majority of the people in Britain and something needs to be done to galvanise people because things are becoming increasingly worse (I'm not even talking about the imminent recession which is plain for everyone to see - but more issues on the world stage and nationwide) and it seems like no one actually gives a shit. It "doesn't affect them" ergo why do anything? Why not let the (Westminster) government and the capitalist regime become more corrupt, inbalanced and extreme? - It doesn't "affect" us, so why care?

This past week I've been thinking lots about Network. I saw it a couple of years ago but the the Mad as Hell speech keeps flashing in my mind. Every time it does, I tell the nearest person in my vicinity about it - and thus far, no one's seen Network. I know it's an older film, but I didn't think it obscure.

I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's no one anywhere that seems to know what to do with us. Now into it. We know the air is unfit to breathe, our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had 15 homicides and 63 violent crimes as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad. Worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy so we don't go out anymore.

We sit in a house as slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster, and TV, and my steel belted radials and I won't say anything."

Well I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad. I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crying in the streets. All I know is first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm a human being. God Dammit, my life has value."

So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" I want you to get up right now. Get up. Go to your windows, open your windows, and stick your head out, and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" Things have got to change my friends. You've got to get mad. You've got to say, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!" Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open your window, stick your head out and yell, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

I think this is what's needed. People need to get mad. They need to care. But I have so little faith, I just don't see it.

On the other hand, I could do nothing: Watch as Labour fall apart (Well, I wouldn't of been helping them anyway), Shudder as Tory get into power and then have the Independence referendum right around the corner which will surely pass - as the polling increases as does SNP Holyrood approval rate but when you add in Tory rule, the people of Scotland (Independents/Unionists/Undecideds/Could Care Less's) will do anything to stop the Conservative's from having power in Scotland.

Perhaps in 2010 I'll see the political awareness/drive that I wish to see from a majority, instead of the minority.

--

The play's still not done (and I can't be writing fanfic until it's done and I've had a few idle ideas lately). Have done nothing remotely related to writing today. Nothing. But then it is Saturday, traditionally the day to immerse myself in football for 8 or 9 hours, forget everything else and be innately, unhealthy obsessed with eleven men.

Oh, and finally watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall - Good, if quite distressing. Watching my KBell let Russell Brand sex her actually nearly caused me to vomit. I am not kidding. I had that strong a reaction. And that's because I know where he's been.